Attachment for rural mail boxes



M y 9, 1936. H. K. BOLING ATTACHMENT FOR RURAL MAIL BOXES Filed Aug. 30, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HwzsKBoZz'ny May 19, 1936. 1-1. K. BOLING ATTACHMENT FOR RURAL MA IL BOXEES Filed Aug. 30, 1933 2 Sheets-SheetZ HansKBoZiW Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ATTACHMENT FOR RUBALMAIL Boxes Hans K. Boling, Lentner, M; 7 H Application August 30, 1933, Serial No. 682,520-

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined money and mail matter holding attachment for use in connectionwith rural mail boxes, and hasas one of its objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth an attachment for the purpose set forth including a stationary unit and a removable unitdetachably connected to the stationary unit, and with the removable unit including meansfor detachably clamping thereto matter to be mailed and for removably holding an amount. of money to cover the cost of. postage stamps tov be applied to the detachably clampedmatter to be mailed.

A further object of. the invention is to provide, an attachment for the purpose set forth for insertion into a rural mail box, and with the attachment so constructed and ar-ranged for receiving and holding cash for postage stamps to be purchased from a rural mail carrier, and for receiving and holding the purchased stamps, as well as any cash change which may be due the purchaser...

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an attachment for the purpose referred to, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, compact, thoroughly efiicient for the purposes intended thereby, readily assembled, and. comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

To the above. ends essentially and to otherswhich may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of such parts, and such combination of.

parts which fall within the scopeof the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1. is a transverse sectional view of a mail box,.of that type whereby access is had thereto from the top'thereo-f and showing the adaptation therewith of the attachment in accordance with this invention,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a mail box, of that type whereby access is had thereto from an end thereof and showing the adaptation therewith of the attachment in accordancewith this invention,

Figure 3 is a viewsimilar to Figure 1 with the attachment shown with. the money receiver arranged in a depending position with respect to its support.

' Figure 4*- is a top planview of the detachable unit of the attachment,

Figure 5 is an inverted plan View of tachable unit of the device,

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the attachment illustrated within the'mail box,

Figure '7 is. atop plan view of the opening or elevating element for the receiver,

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the clamping element of the spring controlled clamping device,

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the form of conthe detrollingr spring. employed for the receiver and clamping device; 3

With reference to-Figures 1, 3 and 6 a rural mail box of that type whereby access is had thereto through the top thereofis illustrated. The .box, indicated at It) has an entrance opening ll in itstop l2. A hinged lid I3 is provided for closing the opening II. With reference to Figure 2a rural mail box of that type whereby access is had thereto through one end thereof is illustrated. In Figure 2: the box is indicated at M and is-provided with an open end I5 and a door l6 for closing the end l5. When the attachmentis installed inthe'box l0 it is positioned at a greater height than when it is arranged within the box I4.

The attachmentincludes a stationary unit and a removable unit indicated generally at l1, l8 respectively. The unit I8 is detachably connected to the unit [1. The latter provides a suspension meansfor unit l8iandconsists of an angle-shaped member l9 formed of a vertical leg and a horizontal leg 2ldisposed at right angles to one end of the leg.20'. The latter is positioned against the inner. face of aside wall of the mail box. at the desired distance above the box bottom and is anchored stationary to such wall by a plurality of spaced holdfast devices 22. When the unit I! is anchored to and within the box, the leg 2| extends inwardly from that wall of the box to which unit I! is secured. The leg 2| of unit [1 provides a suspensionmeans for the unit l8, and has its side edges inclining towards each other to provide for said leg 2 I gradually decreasing in width from its point of joinder with leg 20 whereby leg 2| will beof tapered form.

The unit I8 includes a rectangular plate 23 which constitutes a support and closure for a money receiver and also a support for a clamping device for matter to be mailed. The receptacle and clamping device will be hereinafter referred to. Thelower face of plate 23 between its transverse median and inner end has depending therefrom a pair of spaced parallel apertured lugs 24 which are located adjacent to the side edges of the plate. Positioned upon the upper face of plate 23 isthe money receiver which is in the form of an inverted foraminous basket 25 of materially less width and length than that of plate 23. The basket. 25- is normally closed by and is spaced from the edges ofplate 23. The rear wall ofbasket 25 isin the form of an oblong imperforate plate 26 standing on its lower lengthwise edge. Connected with. the plate 26 adjacent the end edges thereof, as well as extending rearwardly therefrom is a pair. spaced. parallel vertical strips or supports 21, each provided at its upper end with an opening 28 and at its lower end with an opening 29. The openings 28 align with each other. The openings 29 align with each other.

The unit I8 also includes a pivot member 30 which extends through a pair of spaced parallel apertured lugs 30' carried by plate 23. The member 30 also extends through the openings 29 and has its ends upset, as at 3l to provide for the connecting of said member to the strips 21. There is mounted on and extended rearwardly from the member 35 a controlling spring 32 for the basket 25. basket 25 in position relative to plate 23 whereby the basket will be normally closed. The basket 25 is swung to open position against the action of spring 32 by a means to be hereinafter referred to. The spring 32 consists of a pair of spaced parallel coiled parts 33 which at their inner ends merge into a rearwardly extending yoke-shape part 34 constituting a clamp and the purpose of the latter will be hereinafter referred to. The parts 33 encompass the member 30 and have their outer ends fixed to the lugs 30'. The member 30 is arranged in closed proximity to, but permanently spaced from the upper face of plate 23. The part 34 has a portion of its length maintained by the parts 33 normally against the upper face of plate 23 and has its rear end curved upwardly.

The unit l8 also includes an elevating or opening means for the basket 25. The said means is in the form of a bail 35 formed of a flared yoke shaped portion 36 having the inner end of each of its sides merging into an outwardly directed portion 31 disposed at right angles to portion 36. Each portion 37 at its outer end merges into a rearwardly directed outwardly inclined portion 38. The portions 37 constitute pivots for the bail 35. The portions 38 provide abutments. The portions 31 extend through the openings 28 whereby the bail 35 is pivotally connected to the upper ends of the strips 21. The portions 38 when the bail 35 is swung upwardly abut the plate 26 and coact with the latter for elevating the basket 25 to open it, against the action of the controlling spring 32.

The unit l8 also includes a spring controlled clamping device 39 which associates with the plate 23 for removably clamping to the unit l8 matter to be mailed. The device 39 consists of a pivot member 40 which is mounted in the lugs 24 and has its ends upset, as at 4| whereby it is connected to the lugs. Mounted on the member 40 is a controlling spring consisting of a pair of. spaced parallel coiled parts 42 and a rearwardly extending yoke-shaped part 43 providing an anchoring means for the parts 42. The inner ends of the parts 42 merge into the part 43, and the latter extends rearwardly from member 40. The outer ends of the parts 42 abut the lugs 24. Formed integral with. the parts 42 intermediate their ends are the rear ends of the sides of a forwardly extending yoke-shaped clamping member 44 of compound curvature and which has a portion of its length normally bearing against the lower face of plate 23 and its outer end curving away from said face. The rear end of part 43 curves away from the lower face of plate 23.

When the unit I8 is connected to the unit I! with the basket 25 arranged above or below plate 23 the part 34 of the spring 32 coacts with the leg 2| for detachably clamping the unit in position, and in this! connection attention is directed to Figures 3 and 6. i

The owner or user of the attachment when he The spring 32 functions to maintain the desires to mail one or more letters without stamps thereon, will clamp the same to plate 23 and place in basket 25 the necessary cash for the stamps required for postage, and. then attach unit I8 to unit H. The letter carrier when reaching the box will remove section I8, detach the letters, open the basket to have access to the cash,

' retain the latter and place the necessary postage upon the letters and. drop unit l8 into the box.

If the cash is of a greater amount than the cost of postage, the carrier will place the required change in the basket and then drop unit l8 into the box. If the user of the device desires to purchase postage stamps he will place the required amount of cash within the basket, attached to plate 23 a note setting forth what stamps are desired and couple unit I8 to unit l'l. When the mail carrier arrives at the box he will detach unit l8, note the order for stamps, remove the cash from the basket, place the purchased stamps into the latter and drop unit l8 into the box. The mail carrier does not couple unit l8 to unit H, as the attaching of the units together is done solely by the owner or user of the attachment.

What I claim is:

1. An attachment for rural mail boxes comprising a stationary unit adapted to be anchored to and within the box and a removable unit for detachable connection to the said other unit, said removable unit including a supporting plate, a basket pivotally connected to, opposing one face of and normally closed by said plate, and a spring controlling device carried by the pivot for the basket for normally maintaining the basket in position to be closed by said plate, said device having as a part thereof a clamp coacting with the stationary unit for detachably connecting the removal unit to the stationary unit.

2. An attachment for rural mail boxes comprising a stationary unit adapted to be anchored to and within the box and a removable unit for detachable connection to the said other unit, said removable unit including a supporting plate, a basket pivotally connected to, opposing one face of and normally closed by said plate, and a spring controlling device carried by the pivot for the basket for normally maintaining the basket in position to be closed by said plate, said device having as a part thereof a clamp coacting with the stationary unit for detachably connecting the removal unit to the stationary unit, and an opening element for the basket, said element being pivotally connected with and having parts coacting with the rear wall of the basket for opening the latter against the action of said spring controlling device.

3. An attachment for rural mail boxes of the construction as set forth in claim 2 having the rear wall of the basket imperforate and the remaining portion of the basket foraminous, and the said opening element being pivoted intermediate its ends to the top of said rear wall.

4. An attachment for rural mail boxes of the construction as set forth in claim 1 having said stationary unit in the form of a vertical and a horizontal leg extending inwardly from one end of the vertical leg, said vertical leg adapted to be anchored to the box and said horizontal leg adapted to have the removal unit detachably connected thereto.

H. K. BOLING. 

